1993 Nissan Sentra Electrical System

DIFFICULTY STARTING CAR. CAR WILL NOT START. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM FOR A FEW YEARS,WITH NUMEROUS VISITS TO DEALER AND CAUSE OF PROBLEM CANNOT BE FOUND. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR WILL STOP ACCELERATING, JERK AND SHUDDER A COUPLE TIMES AS IF THE CAR IS RUNNING OUT OF GAS, THEN SUDDENLY START ACCELERATING ONCE AGAIN. ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN AT INTERSECTIONS THE ENGINE ATTEMPTS TO SHUT OFF BUT CYCLES BACK ON. THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED RACING THE ENGINE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER 10/30/2000 HAD A ENGINE ANALYSIS DONE EVERYTHING WAS UP TO MANUFACTORS SPECS INCLUDING THE TIMING. CLEANED ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. TWO DAYS LATER 11/01/2000 PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN.*AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OF HOME. IT WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME, AND HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN 6 HOURS, ENGINE COOL. NO PREVIOUS INCIDENTS OR INDICATIONS THAT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM EXISTED. FIRE ORIGINATED BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE AIR INTAKE/AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FORMAL FIRE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY FARMERS INSURANCE CONCLUDED THE CAUSE AND ORIGIN TO BE A "SHORTED PRIMARY WIRE" [BATTERY CABLE] RUNNING FROM THE POSITIVE POST OF THE BATTERY TO ENGINE GROUND. THE PRIMARY WIRE HAD FUSED ITSELF TO SIDE OF THE BATTERY TRAY. THE BATTERY CABLES HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AND WERE OEM NISSAN EQUIPMENT. WHILE FIRE WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED AND CONTAINED SOLELY WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THE VEHICLE WAS NONE THE LESS A TOTAL LOSS. I'M REPORTING THE INCIDENT TO BRING IT TO SOMEONE'S ATTENTION IN HOPES THAT A THOROUGH EXAMINATION CAN BE PERFORMED ON THIS TYPE OF FAILURE TO PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENTS.

THE INNER SEAL FROM DISTRIBUTOR CAP BROKE. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO A SUDDEN FIRE WITHOUT NOTICE.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED. *AK

VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CUTS OFF AND THE BATTERY STOPS FEEDING TO THE ALTERNATOR AND THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY 5 TIMES. *AK